Carton blank and method of folding



E. J. GRASER ETAL 3,181,727

CARTON BLANK AND METHOD OF FOLDING May 4, 1965 Filed Aug. 26, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 42 J 52 TL INVENTORS'.' H6 1 By zrcwmzzzm ATTORNEY y 1965 E. J. GRASER ETAL 3,181,727

CARTON BLANK AND METHOD OF FOLDING Filed Aug. 26, 1963 V 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 m FE-QZ vzez INVENTOR.S.'

EARL J. GRASER BYZJa RICHARD L. SCI-IUSTEI? FIG 2 7: a

ATTORNEY E. J. GRASER ETAL 3,1?1327 CARTON BLANK AND METHOD OF FOLDING May 4, 1965 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 26, 1963 INVENTORS' EARL J. GRASER RICHARD L.$CHU$TE/? R; flmsg ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,181,727 CARTON BLANK AND METHOD OF-FOLDING Earl J. Graser and Richard L. Schuster, Monroe, La., assignors to Olin Mathieson Chemical Corporation, a corporation ofVirginia Filed Aug. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 304,448 2 Claims. (Cl. 220-115) The present invention relates to carton blanks of the so-called wrap around style utilized to encircle a plurality of similar articles to develop a unitary package or assembly of articles. 1

It is a primary feature of the present invention to pro? vide a wrap around carton blank which includes end wall panels.

It is a further feature of the invention to provide a novel method of forming and folding a wrap around carton blank to create endwalls effecting light or sun shields for articles ultimately packaged and retained by the blank.

A wrap around carton blank for encircling and packag ing a plurality of articles into a unitary assembly embrac ing certain features of the present invention may comprise a generally elongated body portion having side edges and wing elements integrally hinged to opposite side edges of the body portion, said wing elements being scored to form fold lines defining end wall panels and tuck panels, said end wall panels and said tuck panels providing a light shield for said articles, said tuck panels further providing means for positioning and anchoring the end walls relative to the body portion of the blank when the blank is converted into said unitary assembly.

A process for providing a light shield on a wrap around carton blank in accordance with the present invention may comprise the steps of integrally forming a pair of opposed wing elements on opposite edges of the blank, scoring the wing elements to provide a plurality of generally triangular tuck panels having converging apices and a plurality of end wall panels, folding the blank around a plurality of articles to form a unitary package having top and bottom walls and applying pressure in the region of the converging apices effective to fold said tuck panels inwardly while rotating said end wall panels to a position defining a plane generally normal to the top and bottom walls of the package, said tuck panels being utilized to position and anchor said end wall panels.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from an examination of the succeeding specification when read in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan View of a typical wrap around carton blank formed with opposed wing elements;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating the scoring pattern of the wing elements;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the blank encircling a plurality of articles to develop a unitary assembly or package;

FIG. 4 is a view of a portion of FIG. 3 showing the step of applying pressure at the converging apices of the tuck panels causing the tuck panels and end wall panels to rotate relative to the body of the blank;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the finished package with the tuck panels pushed inwardly and the wall panels rotated and retained in a position normal to the top and bottom walls of the blank;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a portion of the right end of the package of FIG. 5 as viewed in the plane of the lines 66.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the reference numeral 10 indicates the body portion of a wrap around carton blank utilized to encircle a plurality of articles to develop a package in well known fashion.

Patented May 4, 1965 "ice The body portion 10 is generally elongated or rectangular and includes side edges 11 and 12.

integrally formed with the body of the blank and integrally connected at opposed side edges are wing elements 13 and 14. 7

Since the present invention is directed to the conformation and method of forming the wing elements 13 and 14, details of the body portion 10 will be described only to the extent necessary to identify the conventional features of a wrap around carton blank.

The body 10 comprises panels 16 and 17 which forma bottom wall, side walls 18 and 19, and top wall 21. The

, carton lock structure, indicated by the reference numerals 22 and 23, is similar to the arrangement disclosed and claimed in US. Patent 3,098,583, issued to Sherman'et al. on July 23, 1963.

Tabs 24 and tabs 26 provide sockets for the bottom and top of the articles packaged in a manner which will become more apparent hereinafter.

The lines referenced 27 and 28 provide a weakened area in the blank to facilitate easy opening.

Circular cutouts 29 provide finger access by which one may grasp the completed package. 7

Referring now in detail to the wing elements 13 and 14 in FIG. 2, note that these elements are provided with a plurality of score lines effective to divide the wing elements into various panels and to provide hinge lines or score lines about which the various panels are rotated.

Since wing elements 13 and 14 are identical, only panel 13 will be described in detail.

Wing element 13 is hinged to the body 10 along score lines 31, 32 and 33.

Score lines 31 and 34 define end wall panel 37 and score lines 33 and 36 define end wall panel 38.

Score lines 34, 39 and 41 define a generally triangular tuck panel 42. Score lines 32, 41 and 44 define a second generally triangular tuck panel 43 while score lines 36, 44 and 46 define a third generally triangular tuck panel 47.

Note that tuck panels 42, 43 and 47 have adjoining or converging apices as indicated by the reference numeral 48. Score lines 39 and 46 define tuck flaps 49 and 51 integrally hinged by score line 50.

Wing element 14 is similarly scored to define similar panels and similar hinge lines. Thus, wing element 14 comprises end walls 52 and 53, generally triangular tuck panels 54, 56 and 57 and tuck flaps 58 and 59 hinged at score line 60. 7

Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6, the structure developed and the method of folding the wing elements will be described.

As shown in FIG. 3, the body 10 of the blank is wrapped around a plurality of articles such as six beverage bottles 61-62 in well known fashion to develop a package of arti cles where the package comprises top wall 21, side walls 18 and 19 and bottom wall 63.

Wing element 13 is shown in the unfolded condition projecting outwardly at one edge while wing element 14 projects similarly at the opposite edge from the body 10 of the blank. After the package, represented by FIG. 3,

is formed, wing element 13 is rotated about score lines,

31, 32 and 33 to the position shown in FIG. 4. At this point the wall panels 37 and .38 and the triangular tuck panels 42, 43 and 47 are turned downwardly and lie generally in the same plane making an acute angle with the plane of top wall 21.

Applicationof pressure by an instrument, such as a finger device 45, indicated in dotted lines at the intersecting apices 48 and in the direction shown by the arrow of FIG. 4, will cause the triangular tuck panels to move inwardly to the position shown in FIG. 5. In this condition end wall panels 37 and 38 fall normal to the top wall 21 of the package and are retained in this position by the tucked position of the triangular panels 42, 43 and 47.

A reference to FIG. 6 further indicates that tuck flaps move inwardly and assume a side-by-side relationship between the necks of adjacent bottles.

Obviously the side walls 37 and 38 can be made of any desired length as considerations of providing a light shield to the articles packaged may dictate.

In addition, end walls 37 and 38 provide a panel for displaying advertising indicia.

It is to be distinctly understood that although the details of Wing element 13 have been described in detail, the method of scoring and folding wing element 14 occurs in the same fashion to develop end walls at the opposite side of the body 10.

It is anticipated that a wide variety of modifications of the present invention may be devised both as to the blank and the method of folding the blank Without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A wrap around carton blank for encircling a plurality of articles arranged in rows to combine the blank and the articles into a unitary assembly comprising a generally rectangular body portion having side edges, wing elements hinged to opposite side edges of the body portion, each wing element being scored to form fold lines defining end wall panels and tuck panels, at least two end wall panels straddling three intermediate tuck panels, two of said tuck panels having hinged thereto mating tuck flaps, said tuck panels being operative when said blank is converted into said unitary assembly to form a centrally disposed pyramid shaped indentation between said end wall panels with said tuck flaps in face-to-face contact and with said tuck flaps projecting inwardly between adjacent rows of articles.

2. The carton blank of claim 1 in which the tuck panels are triangular in configuration and are so disposed between the end wall panels that an apex of one tuck panel converges with an apex of a second and a third tuck panel and said wing elements are hinged to the rectangular body portion along three separate score lines.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,713,452 7/55 Williamson 22940 3,029,999 4/ 62 De Paul 229-40 3,128,010 4/64 Forrer 220-112 FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Examiner. 

1. A WRAP AROUND CARTON BLANK FOR ENCIRCLING A PLURALITY OF ARTICLES ARRANGED IN ROWS TO COMBINE THE BLANK AND THE ARTICLES INTO A UNITARY ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR BODY PORTION HAVING SIDE EDGES, WING ELEMENT HINGED TO OPPOSITE SIDE EDGES OF THE BODY PORTION, EACH WING ELEMENT BEING SCORED TO FORM FOLD LINES DEFINING END WALL PANELS AND TUCK PANELS, AT LEAST TWO END WALL PANELS STRADDLING THREE INTERMEDIATE TUCK PANELS, TWO OF SAID TRUCK PANELS HAVING HINGED THERETO MATING TUCK FLAPS, SAID TUCK PANELS BEING OPERATIVE WHEN SAID BLANK IS CONVERTED INTO SAID UNITARY ASSEMBLY TO FORM A CENTRALLY DISPOSED PYRAMID SHAPED INDENTATION BETWEEN SAID END WALL PANELS WITH SAID TUCK FLAPS IN FACE-TO-FACE CONTACT AND WITH SAID TUCK FLAPS PROJECTING INWARDLY BETWEEN ADJACENT ROWS OF ARTICLES. 